Lizzo Accuser Defends Video of Her Praising Star

One of Lizzo's accusers has defended a leaked video that shows her praising the singer, months before filing a sexual harassment lawsuit against the star.

Arianna Davis, who previously worked as a dancer for Lizzo, is one of three former employees who have accused the musician of sexually harassing them and creating a hostile work environment. There have also been allegations of religious and racial harassment, discrimination, false imprisonment and body shaming.

Hours after Lizzo denied the allegations on Thursday, video footage surfaced online that showed Davis praising the star in an audition tape for Season 2 of the musician's Amazon Prime reality competition Watch Out for the Big Grrrls.

In the clip, which TMZ reported was recorded in April of this year, Davis, who appeared in the first season of the show as a dancer, is shown explaining why she wants to be a part of a singing group being put together in the competition.

"I've been working with Lizzo for some months, maybe close to a year now, and it's been so amazing and such a beautiful journey," Davis said in the clip. "I might as well shoot my shot, I don't think she knows I can sing and the biggest thing about me is that... dance is my first love and music is my passion."

"I look up to [Lizzo] so much," she went on. "I just want to follow in her footsteps and not only be an amazing dancer but be an amazing singer and storyteller. I love to write music, I love to sing and I just want to share that with Queen Lizzo herself."

Lizzo's lawyer Marty Singer told TMZ that Davis' statements "do not sound like the words of someone who was harassed or discriminated against by someone they described as 'THE QUEEN.'"

"They say that a picture is worth a thousand words and here [is] a video shows that there are no legitimate claims in this lawsuit," Singer added. "We are confident that Lizzo will be completely vindicated in this matter."

In a statement shared with Newsweek, Davis has defended her praise of Lizzo in the leaked video clip, explaining that she was attempting to "save" her job.

"Of course, I wasn't going to say anything negative about the camp while I was still in it," Davis said. "Right up until the last minute, I didn't realize how bad it was and how much I was being taken advantage of. I just genuinely wanted to save my job.

"This video further explains how much I was trying to please Lizzo. But it was such a toxic work environment because throughout all the abuse, I was still trying to please her and make her think that I was good enough."

"This video was done before the bulk of our allegations occurred," Davis added. "And this was just me grasping at straws and my last attempt to make her see how committed I was to being loyal to her and her camp."

'Let's Take It to Trial'

Davis is suing Lizzo alongside fellow dancers Crystal Williams and Noelle Rodriguez. They have retained the services of Los Angeles attorney Ron Zambrano, a partner and employment litigation chair at West Coast Employment Lawyers.

Neama Rahmani, who is president West Coast Employment Lawyers, said in a statement shared with Newsweek: "Given Lizzo is denying that any of this happened, let's take it to trial. More witnesses are coming forward every day corroborating the plaintiffs' allegations, so we're looking forward to facing Lizzo and her team in court."

On Thursday morning, Lizzo addressed the allegations that were leveled against her in a statement posted to Instagram. In her statement, Lizzo denied the claims, while also saying that they were "sensationalized stories [...] coming from former employees who have already publicly admitted that they were told their behavior on tour was inappropriate and unprofessional."

Elsewhere in her statement, the star added that "it's never my intention to make anyone feel uncomfortable or like they aren't valued as an important part of the team."

Shortly after the post was shared on social media, Zambrano told Newsweek that Lizzo's statement had only served to "minimize the trauma she has caused."

"Lizzo has failed her own brand and has let down her fans," Zambrano said. "Her denial of this reprehensible behavior only adds to our clients' emotional distress.

"The dismissive comments and utter lack of empathy are quite telling about her character and only serve to minimize the trauma she has caused the plaintiffs and other employees who have now come forward sharing their own negative experiences."

Zambrano added: "While Lizzo notes it was never her intention 'to make anyone feel uncomfortable,' that is exactly what she did to the point of demoralizing her dancers and flagrantly violating the law."

The lawsuit, which was filed in Los Angeles and shared with Newsweek by the plaintiffs' law firm on Tuesday, alleges, among other things, that between 2021 and 2023 the complainants were "forced to endure sexually denigrating behavior" and "pressured into participating in disturbing sex shows."

While Lizzo has become known for celebrating body positivity, it was also claimed that she drew attention to the weight gain of one of the dancers, whom she is later said to have berated and fired.

Hitting back at the numerous claims made in the lawsuit, Lizzo said in part of her statement on Thursday: "I am not the villain that people and the media have portrayed me to be these last few days. I am very open with my sexuality and expressing myself but I cannot accept or allow people to use that openness to make me out to be something I am not.

"There is nothing I take more seriously than the respect we deserve as women in the world. I know what it feels like to be body shamed on a daily basis and would absolutely never criticize or terminate an employee because of their weight. I'm hurt but I will not let the good work I've done in the world be overshadowed by this."

Lizzo's production company Big Grrrl Big Touring, Inc. has also been accused of racial discrimination as Black members of the dance troupe were "treated differently" to other members of the team, the lawsuit alleges. The company was behind Lizzo's 2022 reality contest Lizzo's Watch Out for the Big Grrrls.

Two of the three dancers said they met Lizzo during the production of the reality show in March 2021.

Grammy winner Lizzo's dance captain, Shirlene Quigley, has been accused in the lawsuit of deriding those who had engaged in premarital sex, while also sharing details of her sex life.

The lawsuit names Lizzo, her production company and Quigley as defendants. Not all claims were brought against each of the defendants.

Newsweek has contacted representatives of Lizzo and Quigley via email for comment.